ROBOTS AND THEIR ETERNAL SECURITY Part 2

So where were we? Well, we already know in what manner we approach the Word of God- that is with a humble and expectant heart. The Word of God already disprove what their pastor said. We should not be selective with the Word.

Now, let's tackle about Backsliding. According to the pastor I talked with and I quote, "There is no such thing as backsliding. Anyone who could not stand firm to the very end has, in the first place, never truly accepted Christ in his/her life."

So, what does the Word says? Is there really no such thing called backsliding? What does it mean to backslide?

BACKSLIDING

-What is backsliding

Encarta Dictionary defines the word "backslide" as a 'relapse into bad habit; to fall back into wrongdoing or a bad habit after an attempt to act in a better way. Its synonyms are 'relapse, go back to your old ways, lapse, revert, regress, slip back.'

-What God's Word say about it:

Jeremiah 2:19"Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty."

Jeremiah 3:22“Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” “Yes, we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God.

Jeremiah 5:6

Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.

Jeremiah 5:19And when the people ask, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’

Jeremiah 9:13The LORD said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law.

Jeremiah 15:6You have rejected me,” declares the LORD. “You keep on backsliding. So I will reach out and destroy you; I am tired of holding back.

Jeremiah 22:9And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.

Joshua 24:20

If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”

Judges 10:13

But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you.

1 Samuel 12:10

They cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’

2 Chronicles 24:20

Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the LORD’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.’”

Jeremiah 17:13

LORD, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water.

Isaiah 17:10

You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.

According to the Word of God, to backslide is:

To forsake the LORD or to turn away from God.

To rebel against God.

Rejecting God.

Forsaking God's law in disobedience.

Serving other gods or idols.

Forsaking God's covenant or promises.

Forgetting or not remembering GOD.

Point: A person can never backslide if he is not Christian or a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. You cannot forsake, reject, leave or abandon the LORD if in the first place you have never believe in the LORD. Just like you can never left America if in the first place you've never been in America. You can never rebel against a God whom you did not serve. You cannot forget someone you did not know.

Is it really possible for someone who accepted Christ as his/her Lord and Savior to forsake Him who saves him/her?

Well, yes! Because we still have our free will. (Let's talk about this later in Part 3)

If you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, there are so many instances that the people of God, the people He so dearly loved, the people He saved, still turned away and forsake Him. This is frustrating, right?

People in the Bible who turned away from God:

Israel, God's chosen people. They kept on turning away from God whenever they don't have a king or leader who is strong in the faith. After God so miraculously saved them and delivered them from the slavery of Egypt, and after how God so miraculously provided them with food(manna), they easily forgot God.

King Saul

“I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.

1 Samuel 15:11

King Joash

"He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years of Jehoiada the priest. He restored the temple of the Lord.

After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem. Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen."

2 Chronicles 24:2,4, 17-19

Some Christians in Galatia.

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—" Galatians 1:6

"But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you."

Galatians 4:9-11

Some widows Paul talk about in 1 Timothy 5:11-15 who turned away to follow Satan.

"As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan."

Those who shipwrecked their faith because they did not hold on to their faith and a good conscience.

".. holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith."

1 Timothy 1:19

There are still so many examples in the Bible of people who forsake the Lord. Read the book of Jeremiah and Hosea. Both speak about the unfaithfulness of God's people.

What makes a Christian or a born again turn away or forsake God:

Different Gospel

Many believers will be deceived by a different gospel or false doctrine. God warns us about this.

"As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father."

1 John 2:24

I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

1 John 2:26-27

There are those who are trying to lead you astray! Remain in the straight path!

"Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet and STAY ON THE SAFE PATH."

Proverbs 4:25-26

Love of this world and love of money.

We must always check our hearts everyday. Our hearts can be easily deceived. Whatever or whoever owns your hearts is your god. "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first." Revelation 2:4 Therefore, return to your first love -God!

Compromising and then being entangled back by sin.

"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance."1 Peter 1:14

Ignorance of the scripture.

If you do not read the Word of God, you will be easily deceived. Reading the Bible will make you strong in your faith in God, it will teach you, rebuke you and give you wisdom so you won't be deceived by false teaching or doctrines that contradicts what God says.

How to keep your self from backsliding:

Read the Bible

Pray without ceasing

Have a Christian friend

Fellowship with the church

If you have forsaken the Lord, always remember that as long as you are still alive, God is giving you a chance to repent and return to Him. But don't wait for tomorrow because tomorrow might not come. The Lord is calling you now...

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BLOG ARCHIVE

WELCOME

Want to know more about God? Want to draw nearer to Him? God said, "Draw near to me and I will draw near to you." (James 4:8) This blog is my way of drawing near to God through Bible journal (which I post here as a blog), writing poems and through drawing (art). I've posted some of my personal letters to God and the poems I wrote during the most difficult time in my life, hoping that it will give you encouragement and will usher you to draw nearer to God too not only in times of despair but also during happy times.

It is my prayer that every post will lead you to come nearer and know God deeply and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

BLOG AWARDS (Psalm 115:1)

ABOUT ME

Born on the 8th of November, she is the youngest in the family. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and became a Christian when she was in 1st year college (16 years old). She had dry seasons and even went to the extent of backsliding. She stopped going to church for two years. She was still a baby Christian during that time but the Lord never stop reaching out to her. God used her Bible Study leader, who was also very patient with her and persevered and continued their one-on one study with God's Word. God also used her co-major/classmate who is also a Christian, invited her to spend a night in their boarding house for Cell group/Devotional and to go to church. That comaj fellowship to that same church/campus ministry she used to attend. One Sunday, February 5, 2006, she recommit herself to the Lord after a personal encounter with God. Now, she is a worship leader (glory to God alone) and is persevering to stand firm in the faith to the very end, wanting to know God more and more and fall in love with Him deeply.